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To the members and friends of Sparta Presbyterian Church
As I write the date, I remember that this is Pearl Harbor day, now commemorating seventy years since that horrible attack. At the time I recall President Roosevelt speaking to the nation, telling us this would be a day that “will live in infamy.” Since that time, the Japanese people have become our allies, showing the world the amazing power of reconciliation and forgiveness. This happens between nations, and it must happen between people.

This season of Advent is a penitential season, much like Lent. It is a season when we convey God’s love to one another, which is only possible when we practice forgiveness. Otherwise, it becomes an empty season, hollow and void of any real meaning. Somewhere in the middle of Advent, the emphasis shifts, and we begin to focus more on the joy and excitement related to the coming of the Baby in the manger. That is where we find ourselves right now.

Last evening, the Highland Camerata performed in our church to a full house. The weather outside was wet and miserable, but the spirit inside was filled with a wonderful spirit and a joyful mix of classical and contemporary Christmas music. I particularly enjoyed the opening portion of the program, sung in Latin. I also want to say a special word of thanks to Shirley Laws, Lois Landreth and Carolyn Young, who are always “at the church” to provide hospitality to the stranger.

Tomorrow night the Blue Ridge Christian School will present its Christmas program for parents and friends of the school. Everyone is invited. There will be a few surprises, as these inspired children share their joy and talents. Lauren and Matthew are very proud of their school, and we are proud of them.

Then on Saturday, Pastor Bruce Benton will be meeting with members of the Transition Team and Session. Bruce will be conducting worship here on January 22nd, and is interested in serving this congregation after my time is complete. My last Sunday will be January 15th, so the timing looks positive. Pray for discernment and God’s leading as we transition into the possibility of a new ministry. Keep Bruce, his lovely wife Lynda, and your church committees in your prayers.

This past week our community has been in constant prayer for Luke Hampton, one of our high school athletes. His life changing accident has saddened each of us. We are doing all that we can to insure that the Hampton family has the funds to face the challenging days ahead.

Sunday will be Joy Gift Sunday, with the women of the church doing the readings and leading worship. Last Sunday material was handed out to inform us of the purpose of the Joy Gift Offering. Along with a special worship opportunity will be our pot-luck lunch. We will certainly have a joyful day, one which I am looking forward. I hope all of you try to attend. This Sunday is already the Third Sunday in Advent! See you there.

Pastor Bob Matthiasбългарски икони

To the members and friends of Sparta Presbyterian Church

We have now begun the new year in the Christian Calendar. The season of Advent is the beginning of what is called Year B, of a three-year cycle. It is also called the year of Mark, when Mark’s Gospel will be the dominant reading. In the meantime, we have a wonderful season in which to contemplate the coming of Christ into our hearts and lives, reigning as both a child and a king.

The church was beautifully decorated this past Sunday, with a number of our families gathering to put up the tree and adorn the windows. The Leys, Ebrights, Gentrys, along with the Laws, Carolyn Young and Margaret Aycock, all helped to beautify our church sanctuary.

Now we look forward to the special Christmas events to be held next week in our sanctuary. The Highland Camerata will be performing on Tuesday, December 6th and 7:30 p.m. I know that many of you will want to get into the Christmas spirit with some good music. Another opportunity will be Thursday evening when the Blue Ridge Christian School will offer their program in our church at 7:00 p.m. Plan to attend and lift your spirits with the joy that these children will bring.

Last weekend you might have seen me, Laura, Matthew and LuLu in the annual Christmas parade. We had great fun waving and well wishing our friends. Next year LuLu wants to exchange her corvette for a float!

In the meantime, remember the Advent services each Wednesday at the Methodist Church. We will be responsible for the service and lunch on December 21st. How wonderful it is to join with other Christians in our preparations for the event called the Nativity. As we anticipate all that happens leading up to Christmas, we want to remember the Joy Gift Sunday, a special day in the life of Sparta Presbyterian Church. That will be observed on December 18th during the regular worship hour.

I only want to encourage all of you to take in as many of these events as possible, for it is in so doing that the spirit of Christmas will fully surround you, filling you with joy and peace that lasts forever.

This past week Matthew tried out for a singing part in his school play. Sadly he didn’t make the cut. As Matthew shared his deep disappointment with me this afternoon I was struck by the fact that we all understand how he feels. Who of us hasn’t been first, been the best, been on top? Our children need our encouragement and our unconditional love. I know Matthew will have a lifetime of successes, but today was his day to shine in my eyes. Keep singing, Matt!

Laura and I wish each one of you a blessed Christmas season with hearts filled with Christ’s love for one another. May your families know all the gifts that come from faith in Him who first and always loved us.

Pastor Bob Matthias

To the members and friends of Sparta Presbyterian Church

How quickly we seem to be moving out of the summer heat, and into the season of falling leaves and early sunsets.  The shadows are indeed lengthening and the days are becoming shorter.  It is a visual reminder of the cycle of life, played out each year with symbolism of new life and growth in faith, and also of death, burial and resurrection.

I noticed that the leaves of the Dogwood and Black Walnut trees have suddenly disappeared.  This is certainly a sign of change in the seasons.  It seemed to happen all at once.  Over the next few weeks, the other trees will catch up, and the look of fall will be upon us.  As we prepare for this coming Sunday, plan to prepare in a spiritual way for the sharing of the Lord’s Supper, in that it is World Communion Sunday.  We will participate with churches all over the world in sharing the blessed meal of our Lord.

Also on Sunday, we will have an opportunity to meet with Catherine McGrady and to hear her story of mission.  The program at the church will begin at 3:00 p.m., in the sanctuary, followed by a social time in the lower level.  We encourage all of you to hear about the work and commitment of this young woman living in another part of the world.  Her call to follow her Lord is certainly inspiring, and  we look forward to her presence.

Thank you to Matthew and LuLu for participating in worship last Sunday.  They were earnest and thoughtful,  and I appreciated their gift.  Did you notice that at lunch  they cleared the tables without prompting?  Servant hood starts at an early age.

This Saturday, Operation In As Much begins its work on the Habitat House.  Teresa Stolt is our point of contact on this project, and she will continue to keep us informed of the progress and the need for volunteers.  It will be a joy to see this project take shape.

Several other calendar reminders are in order.  Remember that this Thursday, September 29^th, is Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the Jewish High Holidays.  Columbus Day falls on October 10^th and on October 15^th the Presbytery gathers at the new church in Boone for the quarterly Presbytery meeting.

October is going to be busy for all of us, but we must not become so rushed that we fail to see the colors, reminding us of the changing seasons.  May we pause to see the beauty of each season and recognize God’s hand in the changes occurring around us every day.  Those changes are His gifts to us.

Pastor Bob Matthias

NEWS FROM SPARTA
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

WORSHIP SERVICES:

June 5    Dr. Tom
LaBonte

June 12  Mr. Monte
Mitchell

June 19  Dr. Jim
Frazier

June 26  Rev. Diana
Wright

July 3     Rev. Paul
Ridolfi

July 10   Rev. Bob
Matthias

All these pastors have previously been a part of our worship
services with the exception of Rev.Diana Wright.  Her ministry is through the presbytery office
so she preaches all over the presbytery. 
She is well received everywhere she goes.

We will experience Communion July 3 when Paul Ridolfi is
with us.

CONGRATULATIONS: 

All good wishes go to Frankie and Joe Cruciani.  They celebrated there fifty-sixth wedding
anniversary June 4.

And we can congratulate ourselves.  Sparta Presbyterian received a plaque from
NCDOT honoring us for ten years of cleaning a two mile stretch of highway in
Sparta.  Much of that honor goes to Jeff
Jolly who spearheaded the project.

And Carolyn Ebright was recently elected to Presbyterian
Women’s Coordinating Team of Salem Presbytery. 
Her responsibility will be the Presbyterian Women’s organizations in the
following churches: Boonville First, Edward Webb, Elkin, Mt.Airy First, Flat
Rock, and North Wilkesboro.

THANK YOU!

Teresa Stolt and Jeff Jolly were the two members of the
congregation who  raised  over $600 for the Food Closet in two
hours.  They were assisted by Stephanie
Stolt and a friend.  They did this at the
intersection of 21 and 18.

WELCOMING OUR GUESTS

Did you notice that on May 29 we had SIXTEEN visitors and on
JUNE 5 we had SEVEN!!!  Here is our
opportunity to extend a hand of welcome before or after the service.

FELLOWSHIP LUNCH

Our fourth Sunday Fellowship Lunch will be June 26.  After the lunch we have the opportunity to
meet with a committee from Salem Presbytery. 
They attempt to visit every church in the presbytery on a three year rotation.  This is a time when we can ask questions to
better understand the work and mission of Salem Presbytery.

GUESS WHO?  Now, do
you know which church member spends Thursday mornings at the nursing home
reading to patients or writing letters for them?

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In this time of transition, searching for our new minister, it is quite important for the congregation to stay connected, and in this effort we will post a monthly news update.

WORSHIP SERVICES

March 6, 2011:  Suzanne Dornsmith will preach.  She is a Methodist minister now residing in Charlotte.

March 13, 20, and 27, 2011:  Tom LaBonte will lead our worship services.  He is a retired Marine who is completing his work at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte.  He and his wife have a summer home in our vicinity.

April 3, 2011:  Monte Mitchell will return to preach for us. He is a reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal. He and his wife are members of North Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church.  He is also a student at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Charlotte.

April 10, 2011:  Rev. Bryan McFarland will lead our worship service.  He is on Salem Presbytery’s staff and helped us acquire funds for the Solid Rock Food Closet.

CONGRATULATIONS!

 Lois Landreth’s granddaughter and Julie Duncan’s daughter, Hannah Duncan Houser, has been accepted in the Master’s Program in Speech Pathology at Old Dominion University.  We wish her well in this new endeavor.

                Barbara and Charles Joines are welcoming a new grandson. Ezra joins parents Sherry and Chris Wyatt and big brother Eli.  The family lives in Christiansburg, VA.

OPPORTUNITY

 Becca Duncan and Hannah Duncan Houser will spend a week in April working at an orphanage in Haiti.  The girls will bring powdered (not liquid) iron-fortified baby formula with them.  We have the opportunity to support the girls’ project.  Becca can receive donated formula or if you prefer, you can write a check to Sparta Presbyterian Church, and indicate BABY FORMULA on the Memo Line.  We are very proud of our young ladies.  

MARCH NEWS

 March 9, 2011:   9:30 Coordinating Team and 10:30 Fellowship Circle followed by lunch and projects

March 14, 2011:  Session Meeting/Presbytery has appointed Martha Ellis as our Moderator.  Martha preaches at Laurel Fork Presbyterian Church.

March 27, 2011:  Fellowship Lunch

If you have news to share with the congregation, please contact Anne Mackey by email at:   mark631amsm@skybest.com

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Sunday, February 20, 2011 / Reverend Paul Radolfi, Asheboro, NC

Dr. Paul Ridolfi served our church as Interim Pastor between the pastorates of

Jim Frazier and Thom Burleson.  Dr. Ridolfi has recently retired.

Sunday, February 27, 2011 / Mr. Monte Mitchell, North Wilkesboro, NC

Monte Mitchell is studying for the ministry at Union Theological Seminary of

Charlotte, NC, a Presbyterian institution.

Sunday, March 6, 2011 / Reverend Suzanne Dornsmith, Charlotte, NC

Suzanne Dornsmith is a Methodist minister and a friend of Nancy Walton, our supply minister of 2-13-11.

Sunday, March 13, 2011 / Mr. Thomas LaBonte, Huntersville, NC

Tom LaBonte, a retired Marine, is studying for the ministry at Union Theological Seminary of Charlotte.  He has a cottage near Independence, VA.

To the members and friends of Sparta Presbyterian Church

This is my final letter to you as Pastor of our wonderful church. Of course, I have announced my departure some weeks ago, but the finality of such a step comes so quickly. I only want to thank everyone for their love and faithfulness—to me, to the church and to the Lord God Himself. Your kindness to our family demonstrated at the dinner last Sunday was overwhelming, and your graciousness will never be forgotten. You generous gift touched my family deeply and we are so grateful for your thoughtfulness.

I would like to thank the women who always make the activity around the kitchen hum. I especially want to thank Carol Norris (and Jim) for the beautiful table decorations, that looked so unique and timely on the new tables. We can never thank folks adequately for all they do, and it is never intentional to overlook anyone. So, thank you everyone who shared in a wonderful gathering of food and fellowship.

Happy Birthday to Bill Ballew on Wednesday, and to Debbie Bare on Friday.

This Sunday will be my last time to conduct worship for you. In nearly two years it has been my privilege to serve as your pastor. My intent has always been to preach the truth of the Gospel, and to be faithful to my calling. My only urging to you as a congregation is to do the same. There must be more intentional Bible study, such as what we do on Sunday morning. The whole church might think of worship as an entire morning of activity. Attending a one-hour worship service will not fulfill membership commitment, nor will it build the church. But that weekly attendance is the least a member can do.

Looking ahead to February is to plan for new and exciting possibilities for this congregation. The Transition Team is busy with preparations for new pastoral leadership. What is exciting is the Sam P. Marshall, III, our Salem Presbyter, will be leading worship and meeting with the congregation. He has been a marvelous leader who has the very best interests of this congregation in his heart.

Finally, I ask you how to preach the Gospel. We are reminded that the Law condemns, but the Gospel gives life. And it does not require a great theologian to understand that we all preach sermons, if not with words then with our lives, our actions and even our attitudes. Paul, in all of his letters, encourages us to love and serve one another. In Galatians 6 he writes, “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” One last thought is that from the prophet Micah. “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Keep that question before you and you will always do the right thing. But faith is not about our doing, so much as it is about our being and knowing whose we are.

A wise, old Arab said this to me in Bahrain. “We Arabs say “salaam,” and our Jewish cousins say “shalom.” But you Americans simply say, “so long.” Laura and I want to say so long, and God be with you ’til we meet again.

Pastor Bob Matthias

Our tentatively scheduled Wednesday, December 15, 2010 Joy Night Service is canceled due to extreme cold conditions.

Pastor BobСувенириикони

Message from Pastor Matthias:

Today’s service, Sunday, December 12th, is canceled due to very icy and snowy surfaces.

We are tentatively planning a mid-week, Wednesday, Dec 15^th, 6:00 pm service featuring our children’s choir. Our children and leaders have worked very hard and we look forward to hearing them sing.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy the beautiful landscape.